Vallavanukku Pullum Aayudham Movie Review

Among all the genres, a decent family entertainer becomes the most difficult one for an auteur to endow the universal audiences. Following a long phase of hiatus, director Srinath comes up with such quintessential instance by remaking SS Rajamouli’s ‘Maryadha Ramana’. The film hits straight to the point. There is no diversion in script, the characterisations are perfect, the screenplay is neat and the actors display decent performance. What else does a successful film need than these elements to score the best? Let’s avoid the comparisons between the original version MR and VPA. This film keeps you engrossed throughout the duration and there is no point you feel disgusted or restless. It never comprises of profanity or double entendres, but travels smooth with decorous elements.

Sakthi (Santhanam) has lost his job and finds his fortune when his uncle reveals him about an ancestral land left by his parents in Aravangaadu. Innocuous by nature, Sakthi meets Singarayan (Nagineedu), a powerful landlord in the village and gains his love and so from his family that includes beautiful Vanidhi (Ashna Zaveri), whom he met on the train journey. When the family men realise that Sakthi is the son of deceased Rathnavelu who had killed their brother before years, they get more infuriated to settle the long time revenge. Apparently, Sakthi gets to know about their plans and never wants to leave outside the home, which would soon have his massacre. What happens next is the smart moves of Sakthi to save his life from this bunch of hooligans.

Santhanam has completed dedicated himself to this role and never turns down the prominence of character. His long journey in the film industry has made it clear that he has acquired so much of intelligence and performance maturity. Be his dance or his performance in emotional scenes, especially the climax, he throws up the brilliant acts in an effortless manner. Ashna Zaveri looks beautiful and engraves a carve of decent performance. She doesn’t have much to perform, but with simple gestures and cute looks steal the show. Nagineedu impresses us with a spellbinding act. He never overreacts like any of those Telugu baddies yelling out of tone, but with a perfect stroke wins our praises. Mirchi Senthil is good with his portions. VTV Ganesh has nothing great to perform, but is okay. Siddharth Vipin apart from giving the best background score, tickles our funny bones with his portions in train along with director Rajkumaran.

Cinematography deserves special mention for Shakthi taking diligent effort in placing every angle. Editing is stark and perfect. The first half moves with more entertainment and post-intermission sequences have complete emotions to add up. The songs in few places aren’t above the average, but they don’t get your restless.

Overall, Vallavanukku Pullum Aayudham is a groovy entertainer that you can watch more than once. Surely, there would be repeat audience to the film. Santhanam, Srinath and the entire crew deserve tons of extolments for their graceful attempt in doing justice to SS Rajamouli’s Maryadha Ramana.

What works – Santhanam, good casting and performance, screenplay, background score, cinematography and editing.

What doesn’t work – Nothing in special, songs in second half get little mediocre, but not a big minus